6.1 SABA'A STELE (RIMA 3.207–209 (A.0.104.6); COS 2.274–5)

This stele was found at Saba'a, south of Jebel Sinjar (on the Iraqi-Syrian borders). It presents a summary of the different western campaigns of Adad-nirari III, which can be dated thanks to the Eponym Chronicles between 805 BCE and 796 BCE. A king of Aram-Damascus named Mar'i, “my lord” paid a tribute of 100 talents of gold and 1,000 talents of silver (18–20).

6.2 TELL AL-RIMAH STELE (RIMA 3:209–212 (A.0.104.7); COS 2.275–6)

Inscribed on a stele discovered at Tell al-Rima, also near Jebel Sinjar, refers like the Saba'a Stele to the tribute paid by Mar'i of Damascus, but adds the tribute paid by Joash of Israel, alongside the kings of Tyre and Sidon (4–8). Joash is called “the Samarian” a title that appears here for the first time in Assyrian texts and becomes common through the eighth century (Cogan 2008: 40). Compared to the Saba'a Stele, the tribute paid by Mar'i includes no gold, doubles the silver (2,000 talents), and adds 1,000 talents of copper, 2,000 talents of iron and 3,000 linen garments with multi-coloured trim.

The military activities listed on this stele are presented as having taken place “in one year”! This is a literary convention rather than a chronological statement, for the description summarizes various western campaigns and highlights the tribute received from Damascus and Samaria.

6.3 CALAH ORTHOSTAT SLAB (RIMA 3:212–13 (A.0.104.8); COS 2.276–7)

This text is engraved on a broken stone slab from Calah.